Summer banana pancakes
once and once again
I think I have been trying harder to make good pancakes since last autumn. I, of course always loved pancakes you know, occasionally, once in a while, when you realise haven’t had certain food for some time, something reminded you of them, and you make them on a weekend. More often than not I'd have them out at a cafe rather than at home. When I made them at home a couple of times, and with every time I eagerly wanted to make them better, it’s the excitement/competition in me.
And so I started reading through a lot recipes, blog posts, American food journals and publications to understand the difference and the landscape of all the pancakes, as there are so many, to figure out what I like. I don’t think I like them in any particular way, it is for the day and the mood to decide. Some of my recent pancakes have gotten some recognition, and I thought pancakes deserve a bit more of my attention.
My last batch of banana pancakes were the best I have ever made, but I have tweaked it just slightly this time, very much depending on what the cottage is like, if you are using ripe banana. These are a tiny bit different, enough to share again.
I still don’t eat pancakes often. But when I do, I like to make myself a good stack. Greek yogurt, fresh strawberries, walnuts, maple syrup, a touch of butter between each layer, and flaky salt over everything. Because if you are adding maple syrup to your pancakes and not finishing with flaky salt, I’d like you to reconsider. These are also spiced with just a touch of cinnamon and cardamom, with chocolate chunks folded in, which I think should be non-negotiable in a banana pancake. And they have a touch of summer, the still-not-that-sweet strawberries, as the weather is finally giving us a feel of hot summer approaching in the air.
The batter comes together in minutes. Cottage cheese blended smooth with the banana and the rest of the wet ingredients gives you this really nice lift and a great texture that I love. Apple cider vinegar or lemon juice in there too, which reacts with the bicarbonate of soda and gives you a little extra rise. And the rule of pancakes. Never overmix the pancake batter.
Serves 2 very well
1 ripe banana
80g cottage cheese
100ml milk (or 180ml of buttermilk or kefir instead of milk and cottage cheese)
1 egg
30g melted butter
1 tsp apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice)
120g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon and cardamom
Good pinch of salt
A good handful of chocolate chunks (I always love dark)
Also:
Greek yogurt
Fresh strawberries
Walnuts
Maple syrup
A touch of butter
Flaky salt
First, the batter
Into a jug or bowl, add the banana, cottage cheese, milk, egg, melted butter, and apple cider vinegar. Blend with an immersion blender until completely smooth, no lumps of banana or cottage cheese remaining.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, cinnamon, cardamom, and salt. Pour the wet into the dry and mix gently with a whisk until no flour is visible but a few lumps remain in the batter. Keep the lumps, don’t mix until very smooth! You can fold in the chocolate chunks now, or, as I usually do, press them in the pancakes when it fries so to control the even distribution. Leave to rest for five minutes while your pan heats up.
Now we fry
Heat a pan over medium heat and add a good amount of butter, not tonnes, not a little either, somewhere in the middle to cover the bottom of the pan, a good amount, you know what I’m talking about. When it heated pour in your first pancake, however large you like them.
Cover with a lid and cook until just a few bubbles appear around the edge and the surface looks still a bit wet. Flip, and cook the other side until both are a golden brown. Repeat with the rest of the batter, adding more butter between each one.
Now we build the stack
Layer the pancakes with a small touch of butter between each one while they are still warm. Top with Greek yogurt, strawberries, walnuts, and maple syrup. Finish with flaky salt over everything, this part is not optional.
Eat immediately, take a nice big first bite with everything on it, the whole point of the first bite.
Let me know if you ever make these!!
